Ballad: The Ghost, The Gallant, The Gael, And The Goblin

In the suburban outskirts, where the land was yet untamed, an unlikely duo wandered: an elderly ghost, embodying the essence of a bygone era, and an influential goblin, bursting with the vigor of youth and mischief. Their spectral and fantastical nature set them apart, one echoing the grandeur of tragic tales, the other a figure straight from a comedy’s liveliest scenes. Amidst their stroll, aimed at aiding digestion with light exercise, they stumbled upon a debate that would stir the tranquil air: which among them held superiority in the art of haunting, the ghost with his somber gravitas or the goblin with his lively antics?

This debate, initially a jest, soon escalated into a serious contest of skills, prompting them to seek out a human upon whom they could test their respective powers. Determined to settle the matter, they agreed on a format: the goblin would leverage his quaint and grotesque nature against the ghost’s imposing and statuesque form. The goblin eyed a suitable candidate, a seemingly indomitable Englishman, exhibiting both finesse and fearless demeanor, outside a tailor’s shop.

The goblin, confident in his ability to instill fear, unveiled himself to the Englishman in a spectacular and horrifying display, yet the man’s reaction was nothing short of extraordinary. Instead of exhibiting terror, he afforded the goblin nothing but an amused, albeit vacant, smile, impervious to the scare tactics employed regardless of their duration or intensity. The goblin’s efforts proved futile, as days turned into weeks without a hint of fear from their chosen subject.

The ghost, witnessing the goblin’s unsuccessful endeavor, proposed a new challenge involving a rugged Highland man, believing that a different approach might yield the desired result. The narrative thus shifts, emphasizing not only the contrasting methodologies of the ghost and the goblin but also underlining the resilience and diverse reactions of humans when faced with the supernatural. Through this whimsical contest, the ballad contemplates the nature of fear, courage, and the unfathomable depths of the human spirit, all within the spectral playground of the ghost and the goblin’s making.